A new way for sounding the depth of the sea without a line
Date
30 September 1663
Creator
Unknown, Artist
After
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p301
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 350mm
width (page): 230mm
width (page): 230mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Diagram illustrating Robert Hooke's invention for sounding the depth of the sea without a long line, using instead a ball sunk to the bottom of the sea by a weight which is released as soon as it touches the sea-floor and returns to the surface.
It was discussed at the meeting of the Royal Society on 30 September 1663 and printed in Philosophical Transactions, vol. 1, no. 9 (February 1666), and again in vol. 2, no. 24 (April 1667).
The original drawing of this apparatus by Hooke is at Cl.P/20/23.
It was discussed at the meeting of the Royal Society on 30 September 1663 and printed in Philosophical Transactions, vol. 1, no. 9 (February 1666), and again in vol. 2, no. 24 (April 1667).
The original drawing of this apparatus by Hooke is at Cl.P/20/23.
Transcription
The first, is with a Ball sunk to the bottom of the sea, by a weight of Lead or Stone, the which, as soon as it touchest it, presently returns toward the top of the water, leaving the weight behind, which is thus contrived between the long wire staple B, of the Ball A, I press in with my finters a springing wire C, on the bended end F, of which, I hang the weight D, by its ring E, and so let them down into the water in this posture, towards the bottom of which, they are carried with a considerable swiftness, which the weight D, touching first, is thereby stopt, but the Ball, by the impetus it acquired in descending, being carried downwards a little after the other is stopt, suffers the springing wire C to fly back, and thereby set it selfs at liberty to reascende.
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 30 September 1663, ‘Mr. Hooke brought in the description of the new ways contrived by him for sounding the depth of the sea without a line, and fetching water from any depth; which were ordered to be registered’ (Birch 1:307). Text and figure printed in Birch 1:307-08.
Printed in R. Hooke, ' Appendix to the Directions for Seamen, bound for far Voyages', Phil. Trans. vol. 1, no. 9 (February 1666), pp. 147-49, and again in 'Directions for observations and experiments to be made by masters of ships, pilots and other fit persons in their sea voyages', Phil. Trans. vol. 2, no. 24 (April 1667), pp. 433-48.
Printed in R. Hooke, ' Appendix to the Directions for Seamen, bound for far Voyages', Phil. Trans. vol. 1, no. 9 (February 1666), pp. 147-49, and again in 'Directions for observations and experiments to be made by masters of ships, pilots and other fit persons in their sea voyages', Phil. Trans. vol. 2, no. 24 (April 1667), pp. 433-48.
Related fellows
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Associated place